It’s hard not to feel a bit privileged by the occasion, the setting and the company. And that’s surely one point of the invitation. Yet I wouldn’t have traded away this intimate dinner in the LBJ Presidential Suite for any other party this year.
You’re high up in the LBJ Presidential Library. A vast view of Austin opens out from the south window. The furniture and decor — high modern mixed with global culture — is from the 1960s.
San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro
Located right behind the library’s Oval Office replica, this gold-tinged room is where President Lyndon Baines Johnson once held court. With 10 or 20 guests, he’d conduct “one conversation” dinner, which in his day sometimes meant a monologue.
Library director Mark Updegrove assured that the conversation this evening was more evenly shared. The topics — off the record — included politics, demographics and the media. The guests of honor were San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro and his twin brother U.S. Rep Joaquin Castro, who wore red and blue ties to help strangers distinguish them.
The sons of La Raza Unita activists, the Castro brothers attended Stanford University and Harvard Law. They proved exceptionally articulate and yet down to earth. Earlier in the evening, they had answered sharp questions from Texas Tribune honcho Evan Smith in the library’s auditorium. During dinner, the Castros remained in focus and one can see why they are both mentioned in the same sentences as “future governor” or “future senator.”
Also joining the dialogue were Adm. Bobby Inman, former director of the CIA, and his elegant wife, Nancy Inman; presidential granddaughter and attorney Catherine Robb; former Austin Mayor Bruce Todd and his wife, PR powerhouse and LBJ Foundation chairwoman Elizabeth Christian — she’s also daughter to LBJ’s press secretary, the late George Christian — Texas Monthly publisher Amy Banner Saralegui; Austin power broker Pike Powers and his wife, Pam Powers; LBJ Foundation director Mary Herman and her husband and attorney Tim Herman; former bookstore owners Tom and Carmel Borders — yes, those Borders — Texas Tribune reporter Ross Ramsey and his wife and Medicaid expert Becky Brownlee, LatinWorks co-founder and managing partner Alejandro Ruelas KLD Energy Technologies executive Ana Ruelas plus select others.
As you can see, quite the collection of personalities. So the conversation through three courses was lively. Wish I could share more of the content here, but suffice it to say, I’m now armed with great anecdotes for anyone who asks discreetly.